DEI & DOE

DEI & DOE

Today's readings focus on the Trump administration's executive order to end Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts. This has had profound negative impacts on many industries, including education. The Department of Education has expectedly cowed to this order. 

This blog presents what may be a controversial opinion on the matter: if the Federal DOE is being dissolved anyway, state and local DOEs don't need to comply with the order to end DEI efforts. 

The following is an exploration of what may happen if schools opt out of Federal funding. 

The Problem

The problem with this order is funding. State and local governments depend on the federal government for a portion of their funding. This funding has always come with strings attached. Trump has added a new string. 

On average, schools receive about 12% of their funding from the Federal government. This is a significant figure in some senses. 

Schools would indeed struggle if they needed to come up with this money on short order. If I had this cut from my paycheck, I'd be worried about my tenure as a teacher. Towns and cities would also be hard pressed to raise taxes to make up for a loss of this size. 

It is significant. 

Yet, 88% of school budgets are already made up of state and local funding. That is most of their budget. And the other 12% could be seen as a liberating cost. 

Hypothetically 

In theory, local school districts could call the bluff, continue DEI practices and lose the funding. Funding the Trump Administration is planning on dissolving anyway. In losing the funding, schools also lose the control of the Federal government. 

They declare educational independence. 

This would cause a lot of short-term turmoil for sure. As a teacher, I would be affected quite a bit. My children would be affected quite a bit. It is worth questioning whether this would be worth it. What is the price of freedom? The cost? 

Equity

The real problem is equity. Not all schools would be able to raise the funds equally. Some might lean on firing teachers or lowering salaries. These would most likely be poor districts. Urban districts. Black and brown districts. 

This is the heart of the problem. Yes gain freedom. Lose equity. 

Which is more valuable? 

The system is already inequitable as is. This path that DOEs are going down is getting rid of that. Even beside the point of DEI being directly targeted, it is being hit systematically from the side. 

Leave a Comment Below 

I'll stop saying things and open the floor: do you think local schools should abdicate Federal Funding to continue DEI efforts? Does this seem like the moral thing to do?